Combination swim and sun suit



June 13, 1961 B. A. BRENNER COMBINATION SWIM AND SUN SUIT Filed Dec. l5, 1958 INVENTOR. BERNCE A. BRENNER BY )4f/Zwam( AT TORNEY United States Patent O 2,987,737 COMBINATION SWIM AND SUN SUIT Bernice A. Brenner, 3501 N. Rainbow Drive, Hollywood, Fla. Filed Dec. 15, 1958, Ser. No. 783,634 1 Claim. (Cl. 9-335) This invention relates generally to wearing apparel and is more particularly drected to a combination swim and sun suit for small children.

A prncipal object of the present invention is to provide wearing apparel for small children which is extremely simple in design and fabrication, inexpensive in cost and relatively easy with which to dress a small child.

Another object of the present invention is to provide wearing apparel for small children which may be fabricated from a length of material, which apparel provides a front and rear ap upon which different designs may be attached to provide a variety of styles.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide wearing apparel for small children as described above and further provided with an inliatable member position beneath each of the flaps, which when inflated becomes a life preserver and converts the sun suit to a swim suit.

With these and other objects in view, the invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing formng a part of this specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawing but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claim.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a combination sun and swim suit fabricated in accordance with my invention and shown in an unfolded and spread-out condition.

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of the combination sun and swim suit as it appears when ready to be placed on a child.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary View similar to FIGURE l shown with a front or rear ap folded back exposing an inatable containing flap with the latter partially broken away to show the inflatable member.

FIGURE 4 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIGURE 2.

Referring to the drawing wherein like numerals are used to designate similar parts throughout the several views, the numeral refers generally to my combination swim and sun suit for small children yfabricated from a single elongated length of cloth. Although the material found to be most desirable is cloth fabric, plastics and the like may be used.

As stated, a single length of cloth of rectangular shape and having the proper dimensions is taken and at a short distance on either side of its mid-portion as at 11, 12 the cloth is cut along its edges on a bias converging as shown to the mid-portion 13 where the cloth is narrowest. The mid-portion 13 forms the crotch of the garment while the portions 11, 12 form the waist of the suit 10. The entire cloth as cut is now hemmed as shown. At both of the edge portions 11, 12 the cloth is folded to form an edge portion 14 and folded again at 15 to form a pocket 2,987,737 Paiemed June 13, 1961 ice 16 in which is placed an iniiatable bag 17 as is explained in greater detail hereafter. The cloth of the suit 10 is folded again at 18 where the edge portions 18 and 14 are sewed together to form the waist band, the remaining length of the cloth forming front and rear diaps 20. A strap or string 21, which had been previously placed along the edges 14, 18 prior to being sewed together, has its ends extending beyond the edges of the cloth so that the ends may be joined together as by tying to secure the suit 10 in position on a person.

The front and rear flaps 20 may be provided with any desirable decorative materials such as insignias, designs, embroidery and other fancy needle work as desired.

The inflatable bags 17 which are positioned in the pockets 16 are each provided with a tube 22 for inating or deating the bag 17 and a plug 23 mounted at the end of the tube 22 for sealing the mouth of the tube 22 against the inadvertent escape of air from the inflatable bag 17.

When it is desired to dress a child in the sun suit 10 all that need be done is to have the child straddle the suit 10 at the position of the crotch portion 13. Then the straps 21 are grasped and pulled upwardly to the position of the childs waist. The opposing straps 21 are then tied together and the flaps 20, 20 will fall in place at the `front and rear of the child.

If the child wishes to go use the suit 10 in bathing or swimming, the plugs 23 are removed and air is blown into the tubes 22 to inflate the bags 17 to any desired degree. The plugs 23 are replaced on the ends of the tubes 22 and the tubes 22 pushed inwardly of the pockets 16 so that they will be out of view. The suit 10 has been converted to a swim suit provided with buoyant air inated bags 17 thereby eliminating the danger of the child drowning. When a child is in the water with the suit 10, the pockets 16 along with the inflated bags 17 will tend to float or rise in the water whereby the pockets 16 will swing away from the body of the child pivoting about the edge 14 and assume a position alongside the childs chest and back. This tends to help the child to maintain himself or herself in an upright position which is most desirable in the situations where the child is not an expert swimmer so that the chlids head is mainained above the water.

It can be readily seen that the suit 10 may be readily worn by small children as either a sun suit or a swim suit, and that the suit 10 which is simple in design and in its fabrication is inexpensive in cost. The combination swim and sunsuit 1I) may be worn as a sun suit with the inflatable bag 17 inated by children who play near pools, lakes, and the seashore so that if they fell in the water or went in the water without supervision the danger of drowning is reduced to a minimum.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new is:

A combination swim and sun suit fabricated from a substantially rectangularly shaped pliable material folded on itself at substantially its mid-portion, said mid-portion being lesser in width than the remainder of said material and forming a crotch portion, said crotch portion extending upwardly on each side to a lfolded portion, said material extending downwardly from each of said folded portions to a position above said mid-portion, said material then extending upwardly to said folded portion to form a pocket and then downwardly to adjacent said mid-portion to form a ap, thread means securing said material at said folded portion, a strap extending along each of said folded portions, and beyond said material for securing said suit about the Waist of a person, and an inflatable member positioned in each of said pockets, a tube connected to each of said iniatable members for inating and deating said inatable members and a plug positioned at a free end of said tube for controlling the ow of air therethrough.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Nov. 24, 

